Dahlia plant named ‘HDPU165’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Dahlia  plant named ‘HDPU165’, characterized by its compact, mounding, dense and bushy plant habit; serrated dark-colored leaves; freely flowering habit; daisy-type inflorescence form; large inflorescences with red purple-colored ray florets; and good postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Dahlia hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘HDPU165’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Dahliaplant, botanically known as Dahlia hybrida, and hereinafter referred toby the name ‘HDPU165’.

The new Dahlia plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Lisse, The Netherlands. The objective ofthe breeding program is to create new compact container Dahlia plantsthat have dark-colored leaves, large inflorescences and goodpostproduction longevity.

The new Dahlia plant originated from an open-pollination in Lisse, TheNetherlands in 2007 of a proprietary seedling selection of Dahliahybrida identified as code number VD5-272, not patented, as the female,or seed, parent with an unknown selection of Dahlia hybrida as the male,or pollen, parent. The new Dahlia plant was discovered and selected bythe Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of thestated open-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Lisse,The Netherlands in 2008.

Asexual reproduction of the new Dahlia plant by cuttings since thespring of 2009 in a controlled greenhouse environment in Lisse, TheNetherlands, has shown that the unique features of this new Dahlia plantare stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Dahlia have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may varysomewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘HDPU165’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘HDPU165’ as a new and distinct Dahlia plant:

-   -   1. Compact, mounding, dense and bushy plant habit.    -   2. Serrated dark-colored leaves.    -   3. Freely flowering habit.    -   4. Daisy-type inflorescence form.    -   5. Large inflorescences with red purple-colored ray florets.    -   6. Good postproduction longevity.

Plants of the new Dahlia differ primarily from plants of the femaleparent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Dahlia are more compact, mounding and        denser than plants of the female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Dahlia and the female parent selection        differ in ray floret color as plants of the female parent        selection have reddish brown-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Dahlia can be compared to plants of the Dahlia hybrida‘HS Juliet’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,907. In side-by-sidecomparisons conducted in Lisse, The Netherlands, plants of the newDahlia differed from plants of ‘HS Juliet’ in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Dahlia were shorter and denser than plants        of ‘HS Juliet’.    -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Dahlia were darker in color than        leaves of plants of ‘HS Juliet’.    -   3. Plants of the new Dahlia and ‘HS Juliet’ differed in ray        floret color as plants of ‘HS Juliet’ had purple-colored ray        florets.

Plants of the new Dahlia can also be compared to plants of the Dahliahybrida ‘Roxy’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted inLisse, The Netherlands, plants of the new Dahlia differed from plants of‘Roxy’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Dahlia were stronger and sturdier than        plants of ‘Roxy’.    -   2. Inflorescences of the new Dahlia were more upright than        inflorescences of plants of ‘Roxy’.    -   3. Plants of the new Dahlia and ‘Roxy’ differed slightly in ray        floret color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance of thenew Dahlia plant. The photograph show the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values citedin the detailed botanical description which accurately describe thecolors of the new Dahlia plant. The photograph comprises a close-up viewof a typical flowering plant of ‘HDPU165’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following observations and measurements describe plants grown duringthe summer and autumn in 15-cm containers in an outdoor nursery inLisse, The Netherlands and under conditions and practices whichapproximate those generally used in commercial Dahlia production. Duringthe production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 15° C. to 30°C. and night temperatures ranged from 10° C. to 20° C. Plants werepinched one time about three weeks after planting. Measurements andnumerical values represent averages for typical flowering plants. Plantswere four months old when the photographs and description were taken. Inthe following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Dahlia hybrida ‘HDPU165’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary seedling selection of            Dahlia hybrida identified as code number VD5-272, not            patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Dahlia            hybrida, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About ten days at soil            temperatures of 15° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About twelve days at soil            temperatures of 15° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 21 days            at soil temperatures of 15° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 24 days            at soil temperatures of 15° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fleshy; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; dense.        -   Tubers.—Length: About 16 cm. Diameter: About 14 cm. Texture:            Corky. Color: Brownish.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form/growth habit.—Compact and mounding plant habit;            inverted triangular plant form; freely basal branching with            about six lateral branches per plant; inflorescences held            above the foliar plane on strong peduncles; vigorous, dense            and bushy growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 35 cm.        -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 30 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 30 cm. Diameter: About            2.2 cm. Internode length: About 6 cm to 16 cm. Texture:            Smooth, glabrous. Strength: Strong. Color: Close to 52A;            towards the apex, tinted with close to 187A.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Leaves opposite; leaves may be single or            compound with three or five leaflets.        -   Shape.—Ovate.        -   Apex.—Acuminate.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Serrate; sinuses divergent.        -   Length.—Single leaves: About 7 cm. Compound leaves with            three leaflets: About 11 cm. Compound leaves with five            leaflets: About 13 cm.        -   Width.—Single leaves: About 3 cm. Compound leaves with three            leaflets: About 7.1 cm. Compound leaves with five leaflets:            About 8.1 cm.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 200A and            202A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 146A. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 200A and 202A;            venation, close to 187B. Fully expanded leaves, lower            surface: Close to 146A; venation, close to 187A.        -   Petioles.—Length, all leaves and leaflets: About 3 mm.            Diameter, all leaves and leaflets: About 1.5 mm. Texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper            surface: Close to 187A. Color, lower surface: Close to 187C.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Appearance and flowering habit.—Rotate daisy-type            inflorescences with ray and disc florets developing            acropetally on a receptacle; inflorescences positioned above            and beyond the foliar plane on strong peduncles;            inflorescences face mostly upright; freely flowering habit            with about 37 inflorescences developing per plant.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Time to flower.—Plants begin flowering about 68 days after            planting; flower continuously during the summer and autumn            in The Netherlands.        -   Post-production longevity.—Good postproduction longevity;            inflorescences maintain good substance for about 15 days on            the plant and for about six days as a cut flower;            inflorescences persistent.        -   Inflorescence bud.—Height: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About            1.4 cm. Shape: Oblate. Color: Close to 187A and 187D.        -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 8.2 cm. Depth (height):            About 2.3 cm. Disc diameter: About 2.2 cm. Receptacle            height: About 8 mm. Receptacle diameter: About 9 mm.            Receptacle color: Close to 146C tinted with close to 187C.        -   Ray florets.—Length: About 3.6 cm. Width: About 2.1 cm.            Shape: Ovate. Apex: Mucronulate. Base: Attenuate. Aspect:            Initially upright to roughly perpendicular to the peduncle.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;            velvety. Number of ray florets per inflorescence: About            eight arranged in a single whorl. Color: When opening, upper            surface: Close to 72A; longitudinal stripes, close to 79B.            When opening, lower surface: Close to 79A; longitudinal            ribs, close to 80B. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to            74A; longitudinal stripes, close to 71A. Fully opened, lower            surface: Close to 64A.        -   Disc florets.—Shape: Tubular; apex dentate. Length: About            3.5 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Number of disc florets per            inflorescence: About 70. Color, immature: Apex: Close to            60A. Mid-section: Close to 25B. Base: Close to 1D. Color,            mature: Apex: Close to 21A. Mid-section: Close to 25B. Base:            Close to 21A.        -   Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence: About five arranged            in a single whorl. Length: About 1.4 cm. Width: About 2 mm.            Shape: Ovate. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,            upper and lower surfaces: Close to 200A.        -   Peduncles.—Length: Terminal peduncle: About 5 cm. Fourth            peduncle: About 8 cm. Diameter: About 1 cm. Strength:            Strong. Aspect: Erect to about 90° from vertical. Texture:            Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 200A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium, present on disc florets            only: Quantity per disc floret: Five. Filament length: About            4 mm. Filament color: Close to 3B. Anther shape: Lanceolate.            Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther color: Close to 15A.            Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 20B.            Gynoecium, present on ray and disc florets: Quantity per            floret: One. Pistil length: About 3 mm. Stigma shape:            Lanceolate. Stigma color: Close to 12C. Style length: About            5 mm. Style color: Close to 150B. Ovary color: Close to            150C. Fruits: Length: About 1.6 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 cm.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 200A. Seeds:            Length: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 0.8 mm. Color: Close to            187A.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Dahlia have not been    shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Dahlia.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Dahlia have exhibited good    tolerance to rain and wind and have been observed to tolerate    temperatures from about 0° C. to about 35° C. to 40° C.

1. A new and distinct Dahlia plant named ‘HDPU165’ as illustrated anddescribed.